Broadband Over Powerline, Princeton, IL

Princeton, Illinois has received national attention with its high-speed Internet service using electrical lines. Princeton is a historic town of about 8,000 that looks much the way it did 100 years ago. Its brick streets and many historic homes remain unchanged.

What is changing is the technology being used to attract industrial development. In August 2003, the town's largest electric customer and largest employer moved out of town and took 450 jobs. Two months later, the second biggest employer was considering leaving due to a lack of communication services.

When asking about high-speed communication services, Princeton received the same answer many small, rural communities get from the traditional telephone and cable companies, they are simply too small to serve. Knowing more jobs would leave and it would be harder and harder to attract new employers Princeton decided to take matters into its own hands.

Since Princeton already had their own electric utility, it could test Broadband Over Powerline (BPL) technologies. The electric line connections get their Internet signals from a 12-mile loop of fiber installed by the city of Princeton. Typical of so many areas, once Princeton invested in the fiber loop suddenly the local cable and phone operators upgraded their systems and cut service rates. The competition will benefit residents and businesses that now have three providers to choose from for high-speed Internet service.

As Princeton moves from the test phase to offering full service other communities across the state and nation are watching with interest. The lessons Princeton has learned so far are that elected officials need to support a project 100% in order for it to be successful and that rural areas have a high demand and need for affordable, high-speed Internet access.

For More Information:

Contact: Jason Bird, Superintendent of Electric and Telecommunications
Phone: 815-875-1231
Email: jbird@princeton-il.com